Astros sign lefthanded reliever Tony Sipp

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Just one month into the season, the Astros are already scrambling to fix a bullpen they said all winter would be improved.

A person familiar with the signing told the Chronicle on Thursday that the Astros have signed lefthanded reliever Tony Sipp to a major league deal that could be worth roughly $700,000 if Sipp reaches performance incentives. His base salary is slightly more the major league minimum of $500,000.

Sipp, 30, was pitching at Class AAA Tucson in the Padres system before he requested and was granted his release.

Astros relievers have the highest ERA in the majors, 5.86. Eighteen teams entered Thursday with bullpen ERAs below 4. The Padres, coincidentally, are the gold standard, with a major-league best 1.79.

Two of the Astros’ veteran free-agent signings from this winter, Matt Albers and Jesse Crain, are both on the disabled list. Sipp’s signing doesn’t reflect well on the current standing of Darin Downs or Kevin Chapman, lefties at Class AAA Oklahoma City.

Sipp, 6-foot, is 14-9 with a 3.84 ERA in 304 career appearances lifetime from 2009-13. He hasn’t pitched in the majors yet this year but was en route to Houston on Thursday, when the Astros had a scheduled off-day. The Astros are scheduled to begin a three-game series with the Mariners on Friday at Minute Maid Park.

Sipp had an opt-out date in his Padres contract later in the season, according to the person familiar with the acquisition. But the opt-out didn’t come into play. In situations where veterans are essentially stuck at Class AAA and a big league opportunity outside the organization arises, clubs are often willing to let a pitcher pursue greener pastures.

The Astros have not yet announced the signing. The team still had to review Sipp’s medical records as of Thursday afternoon, but a physical was not required, the person familiar with the situation said. The Astros have to clear a spot on both their 25-man and 40-man rosters before activating Sipp.

Sipp is a fastball-slider pitcher, sitting at 91 mph with the heater and about 79 mph with the slider. He’s been used equally often against righties and lefties in the majors to similar success: righties have a .324 on-base percentage, lefties a .306 OBP.

Lifetime in the majors, Sipp averages 9.3 strikeouts and 4.6 walks per nine innings, and those rates have been even better at Class AAA: an average of 11.9 strikeouts per nine innings with 2.8 walks.

Sipp’s Class AAA numbers this season include a 4.30 ERA, 21 strikeouts and just two walks in 14 2/3 innings.

The Astros have carried one lefty reliever all season to this point, but they may now carry two. Chapman broke camp as the team’s lefthanded reliever and was then replaced by Raul Valdes.

Valdes has allowed three runs in 3 1/3 innings and allowed one of five inherited runners to score. He’s out of options, though, and the Astros have other relievers whom they could option instead. Sipp can remain under Astros control through the 2015 season.

Josh Fields has the highest ERA, 9.58, of any current Astros reliever, and he has options. The Astros, too, could move to 13 pitchers instead of the 12 they currently carry, but the offense is struggling enough where removing a hitter may not make sense.

Sipp is from Mississippi and was a 45th round draft pick of the Indians in 2004.
Sipp’s release and plan to sign with the Astros was first reported by the San Diego Union Tribune.

Source: LHP and all-around good guy Tony Sipp has been granted his release by the Padres and is signing a major league deal with the Astros.